The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Rubus idaeus known by the varietal name ‘Sugana’.
The new cultivar was discovered in October of 1999 in Buchs, Switzerland as part of a planned breeding program. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop better primocane raspberries with big fruits and a good shelf life. The new variety is the result of a cross between raspberry variety ‘Autumn Bliss’ (female parent, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,597) and raspberry variety ‘Tulameen’ (male parent, unpatented). The new variety's upright habit and high level of apical dominancy are traits that are similar to ‘Autumn Bliss’. However, the new variety has brighter colored fruits and a better rooting habit than its female parent. The new variety exhibits a similar fruit size and rooting habit to ‘Tulameen’. The new variety was first asexually reproduced by placing roots of motherplants in bags, cutting upcoming shoots, and rooting the cuttings under mist in Buchs, Switzerland in April of 2000. Continued observations of asexual reproductions of the new variety have confirmed that the distinguishing features of this new cultivar come true, remain stable, and are retained through successive propagations.
The following traits are determined to be basic characteristics of this new cultivar which distinguish this raspberry plant as new and distinct when compared to other varieties known to the breeder:                1. Large fruit;        2. Big drupelets;        3. Very bright, colored fruits that maintain their color well;        4. Excellent shelf life, the fruit of ‘Sugana’ can be marketed up to ten days after harvest;        5. Extremely high multiplication rate for a primocane variety (up to 280 young plants from one motherplant); and        6. Very high level of apical dominancy, making only 3-4 lateral shoots.        
The following characteristics also distinguish ‘Sugana’ from other raspberry varieties known to the breeder. The characteristics are described with comparative reference to raspberry varieties ‘Erika’ (unpatented), ‘Polka’ (unpatented), and ‘Himbotop’ (unpatented).                1. ‘Sugana’ is much more upright than ‘Erika’ with a higher level of apical dominancy;        2. The shoots of ‘Sugana’ are more stable than the shoots of ‘Erika’;        3. ‘Sugana’ exhibits fewer and smaller laterals than ‘Erika’. ‘Sugana’ exhibits 3-4 laterals while ‘Erika’ exhibits 6-8 laterals;        4. The branches of ‘Sugana’ have less anthocyanins than ‘Erika’ and, therefore, they are not as red as the branches of ‘Erika’ (see FIGS. 7 and 8);        5. In Autumn, ‘Sugana’ produces more new shoots from the ground than ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 3);        6. After propagating both varieties with roots and comparing the upcoming shoots, the propagation rate of ‘Sugana’ is about 20% higher than ‘Erika’;        7. Especially in northern climates, ‘Sugana’ has about 10% fewer blooms than ‘Erika’;        8. The fruits of ‘Sugana’ are about 10 to 15% bigger than the fruits of ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 5);        9. The color of ‘Sugana’ fruit is brighter than the fruit color of ‘Erika’ (see FIG. 5), ‘Polka’, and ‘Himbotop’;        10. ‘Sugana’ fruit has bigger drupelets than ‘Erika’;        11. ‘Erika’ has a higher number of, and more aggressive, thorns than ‘Sugana’; and        12. ‘Sugana’ has fewer lateral shoots than ‘Polka’, ‘Erika’, and ‘Himbotop’.        